Mass Effect 3 - Review @ PC Powerplay

March 9th, 2012, 23:11

Purpleblob sends in this review of Mass Effect 3 from PC Powerplay, which makes a number of critical points - though I found the final score of 8/10 a bit out of place against the text. On the consequences of previous decisions - spoiler warning for Mass Effect 2 if you haven't played it yet:

Mass Effect 3 is the worst possible entry point for the series. EA and BioWare want us to tell you otherwise, but they’re nuts. This is a conclusion to a trilogy, through and through. Those coming into the series now will have little grasp of the significance of cataclysmic events that take place, nor will they really care. Though this may be the beginning of the galactic war against the Reapers, the relationships between the state of galactic politics, inter-species conflicts and the roles of significant characters reach critical mass. You need to be invested in that fiction to get the most out of Mass Effect 3, because this game is all about the payoff.
But fans who have held onto their save files since Mass Effect 1 are still going to find that payoff lacking. The worst sin BioWare has committed with Mass Effect 3 is a tactless avoidance of consequences to major decisions made in the first two games. Saving or destroying the Collector Base at the end of Mass Effect 2 has zero effect beyond a line of dialogue that tells you whether you saved or destroyed it. Killed the Rachni queen in the first game, and thus brought the entire race to extinction? It doesn’t matter – the Rachni are back in Mass Effect 3 either way, with Shepard’s apparent act of genocide lazily explained away in a few lines of insipid dialogue. Yes, one of your major decisions can get re-written so that the outcome is that of the choice you did not pick.

-- "Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."
Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man

Originally Posted by Nerevarine
I don't think it's the site that has the problem

Actually I think it is a very common occurrence, we tend to find opinions that are in accordance with our own thoughts to be very enlightened.

So, in this context, if you have a bias against said developer, Bioware, you find unfavourable criticism against their products to be much more valid than a positive review.

A review is just a personal opinion, some more well thought out than others. Rather strange that they are given so much importance.

Strange as well, is the tendency that if a product is enjoyed by a large group of people another faction always have to bash on it as if that would make them more "special" and "hardcore".

On topic of the product at hand, I found the demo underwhelming and I'm afraid of a poor console port with shoddy controls. On the full game I have no opinion yet. But I'm going to play it to conclude a trilogy that have in some parts of the first two iterations given me the opportunity to immerse myself in a space opera with more or less interactive story.

And please don't let this forum turn into the codex or the cesspool that BSN have evolved into

I've completed ME2, played about half of ME1 and roughly a third of ME3.

The third game is essentially a improved version of ME2, which is something that exceeded my expectations. Sure it would be great to have a customized character, more open world exploration, non-linear side quests, etc., but who in their right mind was thinking any of that would be in this game? Of course the dev team used ME2 as a starting point (and thankfully they improved a bit upon that model), and it was always going to be the same sort of interactive movie type game with a fixed protagonist.

As for the save game import problem - is Bioware is the only company that must frequently deal with people whining about "such-and-such NPC doesn't remember that I dated him in the last game" etc.? There are just so many tiny details related to all the relationships and dialogue choices made by a character in these save games for the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series. Some people really get into this, and I can understand that it's fun to play the same character for all three games. (Maybe this has to do with the "interactive movie" aspect?) However, I think people should consider how few games even attempt anything like this at all.

Out of all the changes, the ME3 reputation system is the most drastically improved, freeing players to actually select dialogue options they feel their character would choose, rather than having to select always the "rude" or always the "nice" option to unlock Paragon/Renegade interrupts.

The environments, character models, combat, and skill trees have also been improved a bit. The level design is quite a bit more interesting than the ME2 levels - it's somewhat less corridor->cutscene->corridor, etc.

If you liked ME2, I imagine you will probably like this one a bit more. If you hated ME2, it's probably not for you. IMO the demo did a good job of capturing the overall vibe of the game (at least the small portion I've played so far), so if you liked it or hated the demo, this should give you a good idea about whether or not to buy it.

i have nothing against bioware and I am against giving a score to any game but having read some of the mass effect 3 reviews and having finished the game I can only say I am disappointed (and not only for the extreme bad ending). I tend to dislike games that are getting so much attention; i was also disappointed in skyrim for example.

Get out there; the whole "user are giving bad reviews for me3 because it's gay, or because of the DLC, or because they just hate bioware/EA" is just a crappy argument especially if you take the time to actually read al the reviews on say metacretic and also on bioware forums….a lot of people who actually finished the game are disappointed and I wonder why these so called review site never are"

Originally Posted by CountChocula
As for the save game import problem - is Bioware is the only company that must frequently deal with people whining about "such-and-such NPC doesn't remember that I dated him in the last game" etc.?

I actually see it vice versa : The ME series is the ONLY game series within the last 10 or even 15 years (at least I don't remember any non-indie gme having it) that actually does any hero-import function built in !

I really cannot remember a single game from within the last 10 years having any import function like this at all.
Sure, I don't play as many RPGs as you all do, but the only last game I remember having it was the Realms Of Arcania series, and that is really som time down the river …

-- “ Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.“ (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)

Originally Posted by Alrik Fassbauer
I actually see it vice versa : The ME series is the ONLY game series within the last 10 or even 15 years (at least I don't remember any non-indie gme having it) that actually does any hero-import function built in !

I really cannot remember a single game from within the last 10 years having any import function like this at all.
Sure, I don't play as many RPGs as you all do, but the only last game I remember having it was the Realms Of Arcania series, and that is really som time down the river …

The Witcher 2 also allows you to import savegames to carry over some C&C and it will also include some weapons from your Witcher 1 character. (I think that your armour got transferred as well).

Originally Posted by thomasv
….a lot of people who actually finished the game are disappointed and I wonder why these so called review site never are"

I think anyone with half a brain in their head who has spent a significant amount of time reading these reviews understands, or at least suspects, the majority of the gaming press is a joke. The big reviewers are either outright accepting payola, trading favortism for access to big developers or, more innocently, are simply "fanbois." Whatever their motivation, speaking as a former newspaper reporter, they ought to be ashamed of themselves.

Originally Posted by thomasv
i have nothing against bioware and I am against giving a score to any game but having read some of the mass effect 3 reviews and having finished the game I can only say I am disappointed (and not only for the extreme bad ending). I tend to dislike games that are getting so much attention; i was also disappointed in skyrim for example.

And yet, you personally rated it 8/10. Don't you see the contradiction in your position? You are just as bad as the press you complain about - only even less consistent.